LA CROSSE COUNTY BOARD PROCEEDINGS

COUNTY BOARD PLANNING MEETING

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2007

The La Crosse County Board of Supervisors Planning Meeting was held on September 26, 2007 in the Administrative Center, Room B410.  Chair Doyle called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.  The County Clerk, Marion I. Naegle, took attendance.  All supervisors were present except as noted:

County Board Chair Steve Doyle

The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m.

Explained the order of the meeting and that staff would be staying after the meeting if supervisors had questions that they wanted addressed one on one.

Sheriff Steve Helgeson

Explained the problems with the current jail situations – male and female.  They have various problems that can’t be fixed.  The females have no space for recreation and programming.  They still have men sleeping on the floor, as many as 20 at a time.  The situation today is very dangerous including attacks on staff, increase of mental health issues and suicides.   He then spoke of some of the benefits to the new jail which means a safer environment, direct supervision and correcting issues listed above to name a few.  He and his staff support the LEC Addition as proposed.  He then took questions from the supervisors.

Potter Lawson Architects – Eric Lawson and Paul Brummond

Power point

La Crosse County Law Enforcement Center – Conceptual Approach to Phased Expansion of the Existing Facility

• Goals & Objectives
  • Implement the Recommendations of the Carey Report
  • The proposed concept addresses all recommendations except those noted
• The Carey Report – Major Facility Recommendations
  • Develop a Master Facility Plan (277 Beds to 495 Beds)
  • Build a First Phase expansion of about 100 more beds
  • Convert 2 of the existing housing pods to Direct Supervision – not yet
  • Remodel Receiving for constant direct sight and dayrooms
  • Expand Food Service & Laundry Facilities
  • Expand Program Spaces & Exercise Spaces
  • Co-locate Justice Sanctions in the expanded LEC
  • Expand to the West
  • Include Indoor and Outdoor Exercise Space and Additional Program Space
  • Improve Visitor Access.  Consider Video Visitation
  • Create a true visitor reception function
  • Add an elevator or two
  • Reduce or eliminate existing housing control – not yet
  • Convert to single occupancy cells in existing housing pods – not yet
  • Create a new intake area (Sally port, booking, Receiving)
• Diagram of La Crosse County LEC – Existing Site – First and Second floors
• Phase One Concept
  • Assessment Center
    • Booking
    • Justice Sanctions
    • Receiving
  • Consolidate Visitor Access Points
    • One Security Checkpoint
    • Access to Jail Visiting, Justice Sanctions, and Probation/Parole
    • Relocation of Master Control
  • Improve Receiving and Medical Supervision
    • Reuse existing Medical/mental Health
    • Add Receiving Cells – Add Staff Post
  • Expand Kitchen / Laundry
  • Increase Bed Capacity by Approximately 100
• Phase One Concept
  • Ground floor build-out of support spaces
  • 1^st floor Probation/Parole and shelled space
  • 2^nd Floor Housing, 2 Pods, Direct Supervision
• Phase One Diagrams
  • Proposed Site Plan
  • Ground Floor
  • First Floor
  • Second Floor
  • Third Floor
• Phase Two
  • Build Out Receiving in Existing Building
  • Add 48 Receiving Cells
  • Add Staff Post
• Phase Three
  • Add Housing Floor on New Facility
  • 2 Direct Supervision Pods
  • Add 114 Beds
  • Additional Staff Posts
• Phase Four
  • Add Housing Floor on Original Facility
  • 2 Direct Supervision Pods
  • Add Approximately 114 Beds
  • Additional Staff Posts
• Picture of Direct Supervision Pod
• Sustainable Design
  • Workshop Utilizing LEED Criteria
    • Design Phase Goals
    • Construction Phase Goals
    • Operational Goals
  • Cost – Benefit Analysis
  • Implementation into the Design
• LEED Criteria
  • Sustainable Sites (14 points)
  • Water Efficiency (5 points)
  • Energy and Atmosphere (17 points)
  • Materials and Resources (13 points)
  • Indoor Environmental Quality (15 points)
  • Innovation and Design Process (5 points)
• Market and Johnson – Don Carlson
  • Schedule
  • Budget and Square Footages

Questions and answers ensued throughout the power point

Finance/Audit Director – Gary Ingvalson

Jail Meal Costs

In 2002 Hillview furnished the jail meals at $800,000 per year.  In 2003 Aramark was hired to furnish jail meals for a 33% savings or $496,000 per year. 2007 costs are projected at $578,000 and 2008 projected at $601,955.  Additional savings are also anticipated with the completion of a new kitchen in the LEC Jail Addition.  The new kitchen will allow the use of inmate labor, thereby reducing the per meal cost.

County Board Chair Steve Doyle

LEED Certification – Leadership in Energy Environmental Design

LEED criteria was explained in the presentation from the architect.  Doyle asked Supervisors if they had questions on LEED Certification – there was none.

County Administrator Steve O’Malley

Power point - LEC Debt Service and Bonding

• Most Recent Debt Levy Mill Rate History
• Debt Levy Mill Rate History & Future
• Current and Future Debt Service
• LEC Addition Debt Service Example

• 29.5 Million Project, w/ unfinished shell areas to finish in future years (as needed)
• Debt Service not to exceed .48 Mill Rate
• Timeline:  Six Months Design, Bid 2^nd Qtr 2008, Break-ground – occupy by year summer 2010
• Maximize Jail Assessment Fees
• Key: Timing of Issuance and scheduling of payment in conjunction w/ current LEC Debt

• LEC Addition Debt Service:  Assuming

• No refinancing of existing LEC Debt payments
  • 7 years @ approx. $2.5 million (2008-2013)
  • 1 year @ $1.2 million (2014)
• If no short term borrowing for Hwy, County will have approx. $1.225 un-pledged debt service available in 2008 at the .48 Debt Rate.
• A frozen Debt Rate of .52 gains a slight increase in available debt service (approx. $220,000 - $250,000) due to growth in Equalized Value

• General Fund Debt Service, primarily Existing LEC (chart)
• Example for Illustration: Available Debt Service @.52 at Existing LEC is Paid off (chart)
• LEC Addition Debt Service:  Assuming

• $29.5 Million LEC level Debt payments = $2.3 million year for 20 years
• Several combinations of options:
  • Jail Assessment makes up difference
  • Capitalize Interest
• Example:  Appling Jail Assessment

Questions and answers ensued throughout the presentation

County Board Supervisor Burke

RESOLUTION #58-9/07  ACCEPTING IN PRINCIPLE THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CAREY GROUP JUSTICE ASSESSMENT

WHEREAS, the Carey Group Justice Assessment final report was presented to the County Board on May 30, 2007 to assist the County in accomplishing the following major objectives:

1.       Maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of the jail function

2.       Ensure that justice sanctions collectively and individually are adequate and cost efficient

3.       Develop a process to make informed decisions

WHEREAS, the County has begun addressing the viability of many recommendations, including:

• Preparing a Request for Proposal to solicit an alternative to the Female Jail for Women offenders
• Using assessment tools to more clearly address the risk and needs of offenders
• Enhancing jail program options and mental health services
• Offering initial training on evidence based practices
• Focusing Justice Sanctions resources on risk and responsivity
• Developing preliminary design considerations for an addition to the Law Enforcement Center
• Reviewing Jail Bed usage effected by State Probation and Parole

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the La Crosse County Board accepts the Carey Group Justice Assessment final report and supports the following specific recommendations:

1.       Remodel and construct an addition to the present Law Enforcement Center that not only  meets our present needs but also includes space to expand in a long-term Master Plan and allows for collaboration among those involved in the criminal justice system

2.       Includes both direct and indirect supervision for inmate housing

3.       Provide adequate staffing for the Jail and Justice Sanctions

4.       Adopt evidenced-based practices in achieving risk reduction and developing effective, long-term programming to provide consistent risk/needs assessment and reduce offender recidivism 

5.       Support a collaborative process for making informed decisions

6.       Develop evaluation components to assure quality services, based upon enhancement of integrated  data collection systems to the extent possible

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the County Board directs County staff to continue to present decisions and options for implementing other recommendations.

FISCAL NOTE:  The financial impact of the Carey report is best identified with the individual policy & budgetary decisions presented to the County Board.

Steven P. Doyle                                              Marion I. Naegle

County Board Chair                                       County Clerk

Motion by Burke/Wood to approve the resolution.  Motion by Burke/Belzer to approve a substitute amendment  of:  moving the third WHEREAS which begins “WHEREAS, the County has been addressing...” to follow the first WHEREAS paragraph.  By moving the second WHEREAS to follow that paragraph and changing the wording to NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the La Crosse County Board accepts the Carey Group Justice Assessment final report and supports the following recommendations:” No change in the following 6.  Substitute BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED for NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED and delete “accepts the Carey Justice Assessment final report, supports the specific recommendations listed, and” so that it will read: BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the County Board directs County staff to continue to present decisions and options for implementing other report recommendations passed on a unanimous voice vote with 7 excused – J. Johnson, Gamroth, Freedland, Maney, Keil, Kapanke and Hammes.  Discussion ensued.  Motion to approve the Resolution as amended by the substitute amendment passed on a unanimous voice vote with  7 excused – J. Johnson, Gamroth, Freedland, Maney, Keil, Kapanke and Hammes. 

Suggested Timeline – LEC Addition – Additional Dates added as directed by County Board

Sept 18 – LEC  Addition Committee (Consider latest option)

Sept. 26 – Full County Board Planning Meeting on LEC Addition Option

Oct 2 – Public Hearing

Oct 18 Regular County Board Meeting: Two Resolutions

·         LEC Project Resolution

·         Debt Resolution

October – County Board Budget Deliberations

Nov 12 – Budget  Public Hearing 

Nov 13 – Budget Adoption

Oct – Nov Architect & Construction Manager Begin Design

Mar – Apr 2008

·   Project Bidding and Project Award

·   Sale of Bonds

ADJOURN:

Motion by Hanson/Gillett to adjourn at 8:53 p.m. passed on a unanimous voice vote with 9 excused – Richmond, J. Johnson, Gamroth, Freedland, Maney, Montgomery, Keil, Kapanke and Hammes. 

The above minutes may be approved, amended, or corrected at the next Board meeting.

I, Marion I. Naegle, La Crosse County Clerk, in and for the County of La Crosse, Wisconsin, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the Journal of Proceedings of the La Crosse County Board of Supervisors Planning Meeting held Monday, September 26, 2007 and that it is the whole thereof IN WITNESS THEREOF, I HAVE HEREUNTO SET MY HAND AND AFFIXED THE OFFICIAL SEAL THIS 27^th DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2007.